The present invention relates to a boom assembly for holding a hose outputting liquefied paving material and, more particularly, to a boom assembly for carrying the weight of a hose outputting liquefied paving material such as asphalt without damaging the hose while allowing manual maneuverability of the hose.
One form of a typical apparatus for melting and applying paving material, such as liquefied asphalt, to cracks or slits in paved surfaces is mounted on a trailer for mobility and includes a standard hose for applying the material or a heated hose capable of heating the material to prevent the material within the hose from solidification during operation. Due to the considerable weight of the material and the hose per se, the hose is liable to drag on the ground during operation, resulting in damage to and faster fatigue of the hose. The problem is aggravated for expensive heated hoses that are less flexible, generally much more fragile, and much more cumbersome to work with than standard hoses. Replacement can not be immediately and easily accomplished on the job site even for standard hoses, not to mention the heated hoses. Furthermore, the work team remains idle before the hose is replaced. In an approach to avoid damage to the hose, an L-shaped boom is provided on the trailer and includes a vertical leg rotatably received in an upstanding pipe on the trailer and a horizontal leg having a distal end to which a carrier is attached in a location above a head of an operator. A section of a hose extending upward from the apparatus for melting and applying paving material can be supported by the carrier at a level avoiding damage to the hose. However, the L-shaped boom is bulky and, thus, requires a large space for operation and storage. Furthermore, the operator controlling the hose has to lift the hose above his or her head so as to extend the hose through the carrier before use, and maneuverability of the hose is often limited by the dangling length of the hose from the carrier. Further, the operator still has to look behind now and then to assure the relatively long hose neither drags on the ground nor has a pinch point.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,481,601 discloses a patcher system for patching a paved surface including a remotely controllable arm attachable to a support structure on a vehicle and a patching material dispensing subsystem disposed on the remotely controlled arm. The remotely controllable arm includes a plurality of actuators for pivoting not larger than 180°. When not in use, the remotely controllable arm is retracted behind the support structure. Although the patcher system of U.S. Pat. No. 7,481,601 has achieved market success, the remotely controllable arm, due to size, cost, and complicated construction and control, is not applicable to many apparatuses where a manually maneuverable hose is utilized.
Thus, a need exists for a boom assembly for carrying the weight of the hose outputting liquefied paving material without damaging the hose while allowing manual maneuverability of the hose.